The Reasons for Swelling after Workout
It is without a doubt that almost every one of us have already encountered having muscle swelling. But this kind of unfortunate occurrence only happens to those who try to push their bodies to the limit through vigorous workouts. But do you know what exactly triggers muscle swelling?
Muscle soreness or swelling is a common consequence of hard and vigorous exercises like intense weight lifting, nonstop stair climber on the gym, and great speed on the track. When our muscles are working hard, they produce a byproduct known as lactic acid. This product can cause irritation and discomfort to the muscles which will then lead to muscle swelling. However, muscle swelling caused by lactic acid only lasts a few hours to less than a day after the work out. For muscle swelling that stays for two days and over, there is a totally different explanation.
Whenever we try to subject our muscles for work outs much more than their capacities, they tend to get some damages. When this happens, white blood cells, prostaglandins, and other fluids and nutrients flow to the muscles to repair the inflicted damage. The sudden influx of these elements causes the swelling of the muscles. These said elements continuously flow through the muscles until they are fully repaired. The damage in the muscles being referred to are microscopic and it depends on the intensity of the work out. This explains why there are some muscle swellings that last 2 days while there are those that can reach of up to 5 days tops.
Some gym goers believe that muscle swelling is a vital factor for the development of muscles. However, whether you have muscle swelling or not, muscles still do grow as well as your strength. On the other hand, there are certain bad effects that are caused by muscle swelling like limited strength, difficulty in walking, and being uncomfortable for several days.
One common remedy for muscle swelling is an anti-inflammatory drug. But this type of drug has a varied effect depending on its timing. Previously conducted studies have shown that taking an anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen before a workout has more positive effects on the swelling compared to taking the drug after the exercises. Another wrong belief is that some people trust solely on pre-stretches in preventing some muscle swellings. But there were some studies that have proven the ineffectiveness of pre-stretches with regards to muscle swelling.
Massages also help in reducing swelling of the muscles. Several studies have strongly proven that those who received massages after their work outs reported 30% less muscle swelling compared to those who didn’t receive any massages after their exercises. There are some people who still insist in continuing their work outs even when they have muscle swelling. If you are one of the, it is important to determine the specific part of your muscle that has swelling. You may then try making that certain muscle undergo some exercises. If the soreness does not get in the way of your work out, you can go on with it without a problem. But if the soreness worsens, then it is better to take a rest than force your body with some exercises. Worsening condition while working out only makes you require more time to rest, recover, and grow. You have to keep your self informed about workout tips to make yourself physically fit.
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